One year old not sleeping - advice needed Pls!! HELP!!!

Since returning to work (2 days a week), James had got severve issues sleeping. He used to have his milk, then lay him in his cot and he would sleep the whole night from 7pm to 8am!! We've managed to get him back in his cot to sleep - he has to be asleep when we put him in there, but he just won't stay there, he wakes about 1am and will just scream and scream until he's sick, he won't settle regardless what we do and ends up in bed with us!

I don't know if I can cope with controlled crying, but am simply running out of options, has anyone got any suggestions or know what to do?? My hubby has been a godsend, and really good coping with him in the night, as I'm 9 weeks pregnant and having really bad morning (allday) sickness! But I know we're getting him into a bad habit!!

HUn you will just have to be cruel to be kind. If you dotn think you can cope with CC then get a set of earplugs and let your hubby sort it for you. Its hard but the only way your lo will learn and even if he is crying so hard he will eventually stop, he knows you will lift him if he makes himself sick so you need him to know that wont happen anymore and i swear he will stop it almost as soon as he starts it when he knows no-one is going to lift him. big hugs. xxx

I really do sympathis. I have a 14 month old who has had sleep problems in the past. he used to sleep brilliantly (all night from 10 weeks to 20 weeks), and then he had a dreadful stomach bug, which really set us back. We had to give him milk during the night, as he was drainkning so little in the day, he was hungry at night, and we were also worried that he would dehydrate otherwise.

That's when the problems started. Once he was well, and eating and drinking well, he would wake in the night expecting his milk as he was then used to getting it. And he would cry and cry. So we used to give it to him. I would be up a few times a night giving him milk, and as much as I absolutely adore him, I was losing my sanity.

I talked it through a few times with the HV, and was given differing advice. We then went to a sleep clinic, and were given the options of trying CC or something less dramatic. We went for the less dramatic option, as I thought I simply could not do CC and that I would give in as I hate to hear him cry and then all would be lost.

But the less dramatic options didn't work for us, despite sticking with it for a few months, and so we bit the bullet and did CC. After 2 nights, he slept through the night again, and will sleep through now unless he is teething or isn't well. Hooray!!

For me, biting the bullet was so much better, and I don't think lo is worse the wear for it, and I certainly feel so much better in myself. You can only be sleep deprived for so long.

oh hun I feel so sorry for you. Im the mummy of a terrible sleeper, but Im used to it now, I think it must be so much worse to have a baby that sleeps that then changes. Reece is 2, has slept through the night twic e and we have only just got him to stay in his own bed all night! We tried cc for a week when he was 1 but it didnt work for us, he knew what was coming and started screaming from he minute we ran his bath, and he was such a happy baby, I thought I would end up making him nervous and didnt want that. If you cant face cc go and see the hv as they should be able to advise you on some other methods that arent as harsh. Good luck xx

I have to say i agree with diane - you have to be cruel to be kind - I've had the same problems in the past, and as my hubby is away for long periods (in the army) I have to deal with it...I dont envy you though! Temptation is to always go to them and pick them up, but however hard it is you need to try not tolol sarahx

Well last night I thought right I'd agree with you and try CC, by complete surprise last night he slept until 6.30am in his own cot!!!!! He's just gone down in his cot, but if he wakes I'm going to be tough! Thanks for all your advice - at least I know at stupid oclock I'm not the only one awake!! xx